CyberCam bounced up the hillside. He was excited at the prospects. The ex-evil cousin had really talked a good game. He was really psyched on the class, on being trained by the sensei dude who sees him as real, on kicking back with his bro, and on meeting Cat-girl, properly. Karma-kapri had really laid out a stellar plan on finally moving on from his Tori-craze.

It was a silly notion that had jumped into his head when she had told him about Sensei Grand’s wanting to hang more and that the recent cat/ninja that had lived in Cam’s room was in the class. Yeah, his sweet cousin had wanted him to focus on her. He knew. Cam had logged some psych info into his memory. He could tell K was trying to help him do exactly what he was hoping to do. Move on, leave the notion of Tori. He also wasn’t blind. He knew that the catalicious Mei Lien was hooked on his fleshy bro. Cam had turned her down, too. CyberCam had been upgrading the computer when Cam had decided to go all Dear Diary on his blog, the blog that no one had the link to. So, he knew his looks would be a plus, and a downer. He’d look like his bro that she liked, but then he’d look like his bro that had turned her down. He’d worked it out though. Mei Lien was not superficial. He’d just show how much he was not like Cam. Not uptight. Not closed off. Not distant. And then he’d hope that these were things she didn’t dig about Cam.

CyberCam was on Cloud 9. Certainly, this was going to be great. He gets to learn something on his own. He gets to experience the learning process, and real classes. Sure, he may still have to be an “un person” outside of class, but for that hour or so that class runs, he’s a student at the Wind Academy. Won’t his brother be proud?

His step dropped a bit. His thoughts echoed inside his head. He should have said something to Cam. He should have run it by Cam. Cam’s the uptight one. Cam’s going to flip. CyberCam realized just then that though he had worked it out with Sensei-dude, he hadn’t asked Cam about it. He hadn’t even mentioned it to Cam. Cam’s going to send him back to Ops. He just knew it.

He’d tell him about Cat-girl, about how he was trying to meet Mei Lien. Cam would listen. He’d understand… CyberCam’s steps slowed as he reached the clearing. No, he wouldn’t understand. Cam’s hardly the Romeo type. Cam’s going to flip, and send him back to Ops. He’d have to get with his cousins and work on Plan B. He lifted a foot as if to step past the tree line, hesitated, and pulled it back. Maybe he should just look for a Plan B now, and avoid ticking off his bro.

“You can not learn from the class until you step into the classroom.” Sensei-dude’s voice was soothing but commanding. Sensei-dude’s voice was also sounding very close, like right behind him.

“Sorry, Sensei-dude.”

“Sensei will suffice. Or Sensei Hiro, if you need to differentiate. I will not be addressed as Sensei-dude.”

Great, he’s ticked off his only ally in this class. “Sorry, Sensei.”

“So, will you be joining us CyberCam?”

“Uh…” he glanced back at Sensei-dude. He looked forward towards the awaiting forms. His bro had been chatting fervently with Cat-girl, as he had arrived at the trees. But now, due to Sensei’s soft spoken but still audible words, they were both looking at him. Cam now knew. What the hey! “Freakin’ so ready for this class, Sensei!” CyberCam pushed his way past the trees and approached the other two. Cat-girl smiled generously. His bro stared hard but did not speak.

“As I have informed you previously, we have a third student now. Mei Lien and Cameron, please welcome CyberCam.”

“Grandfather, you’re letting my cyber clone take this class. You do know he’s a program, right? I created him. He can do anything I program him to do, given the correct parameters.”

“I am aware of his origin.”

“And you’re humoring him?”

“He is more than he appears, as I am sure you’ll find out.”

“You’re saying he has advanced beyond his programming. Grandfather, you barely were able to run the system at the house in order to watch the -ahem- sessions” Cam glanced at Mei Lien as he paused, “we had while the school was shut down during the Lothor hostage situation. How can you know he’s more than a program?”

Mei Lien blinked and smiled politely, trying to look pointedly confused. CyberCam had to smile. She knew his bro was trying to keep the Ranger history on the QT. It must be painful to think you were once a celebrity action hero, with a secret ID, and now you’re just a mild mannered Cam. She knew and she was humoring Cam’s protective nature about information and secrecy. She’s a doll baby.

“Cameron. I have my instinct. And perhaps only time will prove my instinct right. Humor me.”

“Cam, it wouldn’t hurt to have a third class member, in any case.” Mei Lien was arguing for his side. CyberCam’s face sprung with a goofy smile.

“And when other students are added?” He turned to CyberCam, “I thought we were trying to keep you under wraps?”

Sensei dude stepped forward, moving himself to capture Cam’s gaze. It worked. “We’ll deal with this situation when it arrives. Now, this is my class, and I will include whomever I deem fit to take it. This is settled.”

Cam looked at CyberCam. Yeah, they’d be continuing this later. CyberCam glanced away from his bro. And just to remind him of why he was doing this, CyberCam turned his gaze toward Mei Lien. She was looking at him. Not Cam. Him. His goofy smile increased.

“Now, Sensei Dustin has agreed to arrange some rocks and obstacles in the Samurai training field. He has chosen to do this as an extra curricular this morning. I agreed that this was timely because I wanted to head off site for this class. The Sensei has given you permission to miss this Earth Ninja activity today, if you wish to join us, Mei Lien.”

“Absolutely, sir.”

“So, we’re leaving academy grounds?” Cam’s voice tremored with frustration. This was not his flesh brother’s day.

“Yes.”

“What else can go wrong?” Cam mumbled.

“Don’t ask.” CyberCam responded, “Dude, that’s so-o a question you never want answered.”

Sensei Hiro and the three students walked for about a mile. It was a silent walk, filled with deep contemplation and silence. Hiro was glad for the silence, but also unnerved by it. He had thought his grandson would have been more accommodating. Cameron’s outrage to CyberCam’s inclusion was quite unexpected. He wasn’t sure of the real reason why Cameron’s cousin had wanted the cyber being in his class. He had noticed from the short time he’d been able to observe the girls that their reasons for their actions were rarely the reasons they used, but his instinct had told him that Marah’s intentions had been well meant. And including a cyber being into his class was a new experience. It would be interesting to see his learning progress.

To further things, Hiro had decided to take a step forward. Now that he had a son-in-law and grandson to share family life with, he had decided this was precisely what he needed to cure his loneliness. He wasn’t sure when he had become lonely, though it was probably when his beloved had died long ago. But this cure of Cameron and Kanoi had inspired him to accept family more easily. So when the girls had asked to call him grandfather, he was initially resistant, but not opposed. CyberCam was much easier. It was as if Miko had had twins. So when young CyberCam had asked to join his class, quoting how Kapri and he had talked about it, and that the young cyber being had come to realize he needed more time with his flesh brother’s grandfather, Hiro was quite happy to have him join. That conversation also brought to light that Marah and Kapri might be working together. As for the class, it was true, Cam had made CyberCam, but observation has shown that CyberCam was running on his own mentality. He was making choices. He was choosing paths. He was becoming an entity. If the universe wanted a cyber being to evolve, who was he, a simple samurai, to impede him?

“So, CyberCam?” Mei Lien broke the silence. “May I call you Cy?”

There was snickering from the cyber grandson. “Uh… absolutely Kitty-Lien.”

“Her name is Mei Lien. Did I program you to abuse every name?”

“No, you programmed me to speak more like D-dude and Shane-y-boy, when they’re kickin’ back and chillin’.”

“My mistake.”

“No, your daydream.”

“Um… it’s ok, guys. He can call me that. I was a cat for awhile. Though I’m still sort of unnerved about people knowing the truth ,” Mei Lien brushed the hair back out of her eyes, very much like a cat smoothing her fur. Hiro wondered if Mei Lien knew she was doing it. “I kind of like the cute reference. It’s simple, and has a hidden meaning.”

“See, dude. She totally digs the tag.”

Mei Lien giggled and it was suddenly very apparent to Hiro what the cousins might be up to. He wasn’t sure why, but the girls were capitalizing on the one thing that everyone who had been around Cameron recently knew, that Mei Lien was fond of Cam. They were matchmaking Mei Lien to the cyber being. Was that ethical? Hiro shook his head. It was not for him to decide. He decided to let the chi flow and see how it shifted. After all, it is better to observe, when things do not seem urgent or dangerous. He would intercede only if asked, or if someone was in danger of being hurt.

As they rounded the bend and passed between two mighty oaks that guarded the glade, Hiro lifted his arms. “We are here.”

“Huzzah!” Cy called.

“Beautiful.” Mei Lien whispered.

“Finally.” Cam muttered.